Investigation on novel modular sorption thermal cell with improved energy charging and discharging performance

•A promising modular sorption thermal cell is analyzed for combined cold and heat storage.•Permeability of novel composite sorbent is further improved by adding carbon coated nickel.•Sorption rate of novel sorbent is accelerated based on heat and mass transfer enhancement.•Sorption thermal cell of novel composite sorbent has great potentials for scaling applications. Novel composite strontium chloride is developed with expanded natural graphite and carbon coated nickel as the additives. It is indicated that expanded natural graphite and carbon coated nickel are conducive to heat and mass transfer performance, which result in improved sorption characteristic. For composite sorbents with carbon coated nickel, thermal conductivity and permeability range from 0.57W·m−1K−1 to 1.93Wm−1K−1 and from 2.98×10−10m2 to 2.71×10−13m2. Novel composite strontium chloride with carbon coated metal enjoys the faster desorption and sorption reaction rate than that without carbon coated metal. For different evaporation temperatures, sorption quantity of novel composite strontium chloride ranges from 0.28kgkg−1 to 0.7kgkg−1. Based on testing results of sorbents with carbon coated nickel, a promising sorption thermal cell is developed and analyzed for combined cold and heat storage, which greatly enhances the versatility and working reliability. Under different working conditions, cold and heat density range from 384kJkg−1 to 811kJkg−1 and 549kJkg−1 to 1648kJkg−1. Modular sorption thermal cell could be flexible connected to sorption battery for scaling applications, which reveals great potentials for renewable energy utilization and waste heat recovery.